Roses and Thorns
by Renascentia ignis
Summary: First impressions aren't everything. A true gambler at heart, Atem met a mysterious woman who wits rivals his own. One encounter leads to pursuing her after his winnings are stolen. Little did they know they will face unexpected situations that are connected to a sinister organization. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, the Yugioh characters, and New York.**

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It was a great night. Atem smiled as he experienced the wonderful hazy feeling. The lights, cards, and booze. _Ah, nothing like a good old card game brightens his mood in the morning_.

The thrill of not knowing what's next makes his blood races with excitement. That what makes life more tolerable.

Despite that the odds were against him with his opponent had a straight flush in his hand, Atem remained calm. His dealer and the regulars nervously watched Atem for his next move.

"Is it possible that Atem will lose for the first time?" A man whispered to his female companion.

"Well, all of the Aces except one are already played. The only way Atem can win against Larry is if he has a royal flush. Even as a king of poker, there's no way he can pull off from this. It would take a miracle from the goddess of Luck for Atem to win," she replied as she took a sip of her red wine.

"Shush you guys, you're ruining the suspension."

Atem took no notice from the commentary and his opponent's grinning face. His facial expression remained unreadable as he grabbed the card from his dealer.

"Ready to give up shorty? Do you want to kiss your $50,000 goodbye before folding?" Larry sneered.

"I never give up in a game. I guess you didn't know about me since this is your first time in the Cat's Eyes. Well, since you are the guest of the night, let me show my manners to you. I'll give you a few seconds to say farewell to your car and your cat," Atem smirked.

"You must be either be arrogant or stupid enough to say it to my face. Do you know who I am?" Larry shouted. "You are talking to someone who won the national poker champion three years in a row."

Atem stared at him with an indifference look before coolly saying, "It's not about your achievements. The cards doesn't care if you are a rookie or a champion. It's all about whether lady luck is on your side and tracking which cards are still in play."

"So Larry, are you sure you want to turn your cards in?"

"I am confident in my cards, you little brat." Larry slammed his cards to the table to reveal his straight flush. "Beat that."

"And you call yourself a national poker champion? Hmph. How disappointing." Atem frowned with a disapproval expression and revealed his hands to the crowd with a royal flush.

"That's bullshit! There's no way that you can beat me!" Larry threw his cards to the table before sobbing. "How would I explain to my girlfriend that I lost the car and Cherie?"

Victory is sweet. Atem was proud of himself. He got himself a car which makes him easier to travel and a cat that would be useful to escape unwanted conversations with flirtatious women.

But that's not even the best part of the night for him.

What made the night even better was that lady in red… ah she was amazing. He smirked before himself in his bed. He examined himself on the mirror and saw the red lipstick marks in his neck. He remembered the pleasant touches by her. The way she traced his neck gently before diving her mouth and seduce him with her kisses. Her sweet moans rang to his ears as he thrusts her delicious body over and over again and expressing his own desires. Of all the women he spent the night with, this woman made him feel-

His alarm interrupted his thoughts and Atem cursed himself before turning his clock off. Damn that clock for bringing him back to the weariness of his daily life.

"It's too bad that the thrills only last a few hours. Well the mornings wouldn't be bad if it weren't for the hangovers." Atem grumbles himself. "Ugh, now where's my coffee? I got to kill time before going to Cat's Eyes again."

Atem scanned his room for his belongings and quickly dress up. He looked at his drawer for his phoenix pendant but his pendant was nowhere in sight. He touches his chest in case he forgot taking it off before heading to bed. No gold pendant in sight. Oddly enough, the brown cat is still in his room. Guess that the woman is not fond of cats.

His eyes widen before remembering that someone stole his pendant. Atem picked up his clothes from the floor and tries to find the pants he wore from last night. He pocketed his winnings there. After countless searches, he found his pants but couldn't find his check.

"Shit! There's no way that I would lose my winnings!" Atem yelled. "I always put it in a safe spot in the room. Wait, I just remember."

Atem paced his room with a pensive expression before stopping at his mirror. He reexamined the red marks in his neck. "The last time I remember having the winnings was when I was with that lady in red. His amethyst eyes widen in shock. "That woman stole my money and the pendant!"

He gritted his teeth and cursed. Atem is a tactful man. He was careful not to let his winnings out of his sight.

How can this woman stole the money and his pendant from him? Atem angrily thought. Well this woman must be a very charming and seductive if she is able to successfully steal his belongings from him. There has be something that she left in his room that gives any clue to her identity.

The only thing that he can remember about her is the red dress and her mischievous azure eyes.

A faint smell of perfume lingered in his shirt. Atem took off his shirt and sniffed it. It has a smell of roses with a hint of violet and blackberry musk.

His eyes widen. That smell… reminds him of the woman's name and her face!

"Congratulations on your winnings, Atem. I knew that you'll win." A brown haired woman greeted him with a coy smile.

As Atem collected his check, the car keys, and the cat, he looks up to the person who addressed him. She wore a one shoulder red dress that reaches to her knee along with a silver chain necklace. Her earrings matched with her eyes.

"Thank you for your kind words." Atem replied before making a pensive expression. "Pardon me, but I haven't see you around here. What is your name?"

The azure eyes twinkled back to his amethyst eyes and replied, "Shibata. Rose Shibata."

"A pleasure to meet you, Rose."

Atem took a closer look on this woman. Judging by her appearance, she is most likely to be a dancer. She's not bad looking and that dress is rather flattering on her. Still, he wondered why Rose is here. He knew nearly all the people in the casino and it's rare for him to find an intriguing woman here. Unless she changes her appearance frequently, it would be impossible to forget her.

"So Rose, where are you from?"

"Manhattan."

"Funny, I live around here. How come I never see you around?" Atem narrowed his eyes.

"Well I recently moved to Manhattan a few days ago and a friend of mine recommended this place. It got great atmosphere, the people are friendly, and I'm always up for a good game of blackjack or poker." Rose smiled sweetly at Atem. "So I hear you're the king of card games. You must be the legend in the streets in New York. What games are you good at?"

"Blackjack, poker, and hearts," Atem stated. He normally prefered keeping the conversations short if he's not fond of the person or wants to get away from the noisy crowd, but this woman fascinated him for a reason he can't put in his finger. So Atem decided to get to know this charming woman more.

"So, what about you? Favorite card games?"

"Spades, black lady, hearts, and of course, poker."

Rose noticed her friend is currently sitting at the loveseat chatting to his acquaintance. "Oh! Here's one of my friends who recommend this place. I'll introduce you with him briefly since he's busy and will be leaving soon.

"Hey Ryo! I want to introduce you to Atem. Atem, this is Ryo."

"Nice to meet you, Ryo." Atem nodded to Ryo.

"Same as well Atem. I heard about you and even saw you a couple of times, but never have the chance to meet you face to face until now." Ryo warmly smiled. "So the king of games in the flesh… Oh! You won a kitty from the loud man! Can I pet it?" Ryo excitedly asked. "I just love kittens!"

Atem stared at Ryo with mild annoyment and confusion. He didn't know whether to give the kitten to get rid of Ryo or if he should politely tell Rose that he needs to leave.

"Hey Ryo, I know that you want to pet Atem's kitten, but you have a meeting with Seto right over… at the sushi bar." Rose pointed at the opposite end of the casino.

"Oh thanks for reminding me Rose! Sorry to end the conversation all of the sudden. Atem, I will be looking forward to see you around town." Ryo bowed at them before walking away.

Rose turned her head and saw Ryo out of sight. She gives him an amused smile to Atem. "Ryo can get too excited when it comes to kittens. I figure that you're not interested talking to Ryo. Based on my observations, you aren't fond of overly flirtatious women since you made that similar facial expression with the woman at the bar before Larry challenged you."

Atem nodded.

"So, I was wondering what is your occupation Atem?"

"Let's just say that I have varies of jobs so it's difficult to describe my occupation in a few words." Atem didn't want to disclose about himself too much to people. There's no point to give his life story to someone that he might briefly spending the night with and most likely won't run into the person again.

"Well what about you, Rose?"

"I'm a dancer."

"What type of dance do you do?"

"Jazz, tap, ballet, and a little bit of hip hop."

"What school do you go to?"

"Hey Atem, I couldn't help but notice that pendant. My friend Serenity have a similar pendant like your. Where did you get it?"

Atem scrunched his eyebrows. _Hmmm, strange. I can't recall when I get that pendant. Did someone give it to me as a token after the night? Or did I won it from a bet?" He wasn't so sure._ His mind was pretty fuzzy last week and he was pretty sure it's not the alcohol. Atem does drink heavy occasionally when life became overbearing. _But there's no way I would forget this..._

Rose looked concerned at Atem. " Are you alright Atem?"

Atem gave her an apologetic look to her. "I'm fine Rose. Sorry to worry you. He shook his head. "To be honest, I don't remember Rose."

"Huh, interesting." Rose said. She gave Atem a perplexed look before quickly smiled at him. "Well enough chit chat. Want to play blackjack and slots with me?"

"Sure. It would be a nice pace of change to find someone who is a worthy opponent. Hopefully you will bring me some entertainment more than the people that I faced today." Atem smirked.

Both Atem and Rose are sweating in the blackjack table as they evenly match up. Atem got a 20 in his hand while Rose got 18. The other 3 players were already out of the game.

"Ready to give up Rose? The odds are against you."

"I'm not giving up, Atem." Her eyes which were once serene and warm are now hardened with fire. "Not when there's a chance that I get the card I wanted."

Atem was taken back from Rose's outburst. He was surprised on her boldness.

 _What a competitive woman. I never see how much she changed. A few hours ago, she was warm and friendly. You wouldn't believe that it would be the same person who is playing blackjack with me._

Rose's eyes focused as she stared at Atem with determination before turning to the dealer and utter two words to him with an assertive tone:

"Hit me."

The dealer gave one card to Rose and flip it.

It was the 3 of clubs.

Atem and Rose's eyes widen.

"Congratulation to the lovely woman in red." The dealer announced with a flourish. Rose collected the winnings from the table.

"Guess that you're a worthy opponent, Rose." Atem smiled. "You're one of the few people who kept me in toes. I'm impressed. However, Atem paused before giving Rose a warning tone. "Don't get used to this type of victory. Next time, I will refuse to lose. I would hate to lose to a good opponent like you again." Atem gives Rose a fierce stare as though he means it in every word.

"As a celebration for your victory, may I offer to buy a drink for you?"

"Well I can't say no to that and I wouldn't mind being with you for awhile." She turns to Atem and say, "So, shall we go?"

They headed to upstairs where the private lounges are located. A bar is positioned in the center and the walls have transparent windows to reveal the night sky. A bunch of seats scattered in the room with friends and couples are chatting away.

"So, why do you decide to take a huge risk and decide to hit? Atem asked. "Nearly all of the 3's are already in play."

Rose look at Atem with a powerful stare. "Because when there's an opportunity to get better, you don't hesitant especially when you already put so much in stake. When I want something, I get it. If you desire something, you have to put your heart into it. "

Atem said, "Even as a gambler as myself, there's a certain line between being bold and being reckless."

"Like your move at the poker game with Larry. Even though you have very little chance to win, you choose to continue for your pride." Rose pointed out.

Atem couldn't help but admit that Rose is right about it. "But to be fair, that was because of the adrenaline."

Rose's voice suddenly turns serious. "Even if the odds are against you, there are things at stake. In any card game, the odds are against you and the cards don't care. The cards don't care about your calculations, just like the people in the poker game don't care about your life or your hardships! They only care about whether your results will make their nights more memorable. Atem noticed that Rose's tone of voice became bitter on the last sentence.

"But," Rose emphasized before saying "That doesn't mean that you give up the moment you lose your winning momentum. The moment you give up when things don't go in your favor, you lose. So tell me, if someone tells you that you don't have a chance after you lose, would you let that person determine your fate?"

"Not at all." Atem said with a fierce voice. "I would tell that person that only I can control my fate. A true gambler never gives up."

Atem was impressed by Rose's speech. _Hmmm. She's quite an interesting person. More than what is she seems. Rose is a friendly and outgoing person, but she has a fierce personality. Despite her stubbornness and fiery personality, she's considerate and observant. She knew his discomfort towards small chat which is why she shortly cuts off the conversation with Ryo and suggested Atem to play blackjack first just when the conversation start to get stale._

"You speak as though you went through a lot of risk both in games and in your life," Atem noted.

"In many ways that you couldn't imagine, Rose said in a matter of fact way. So tell me Atem, what drives you?"

"The same with you, Rose. The thrills. Keeps life interesting that way. Gambling runs in my blood and is my passion." Atem smirked at Rose.

"Hey, you're a nice person underneath the aloof appearance once you let your guard down." Rose smiled sweetly at Atem. "Your personality shines the best through games."

"Hmm thanks, Rose. You're not bad yourself." Strangely enough, I feel comfortable with you. Or maybe it's the alcohol speaking." Atem laughed before taking a sip of his red wine.

"I think it's a combination of both."

"Don't be so modest, Rose." Atem smiled at Rose.

"You know, Atem, you should smile more. You have a great smile. You're always frowning unless you're playing a game then you're smirking." said Rose.

"Are you trying to hit on me?"

"What if I am?" Rose smirked back.

"Well for you, it's working. Atem gives Rose a coy smile before saying, "So, shall we get back to the games then?"

That was the last thing Atem remembered last night before his memories blurred.

His head was pounding hard as all of the memories from last night came rushing back. His room spun around him as the smell of Rose's perfume suffocated him by reminding him the bitterness of reality.

 _The red dress._

 _The poker chips._

 _Her laughter._

Of course!

Rose! That woman. How dare did she stole his winnings from Atem. Not only that, Atem was angry over himself for letting his guard down. How can he be so foolish?

He scowled. No one messes with Atem and gets away with it. She will pay the price for being an dishonorable gambler and cons people's winnings.

Quickly gathering up his jacket on the floor, Atem snatches his wallet from his drawer. His wallet appears to be slightly thicker than usual. Atem opens up his wallet and his eyes naturally draws in the white card decorated with black and gold laces at the front. The card addresses: To Atem.

 _Is this from Rose?_

Why would Rose would leave it in his wallet? Perhaps she left it to taunt him?

Atem's heart raced as he picked up the card and opens it, anticipating for the content of the card. It read:

" _You think you got me as another woman in bed, but you're wrong. I refuse to be another fragment in your memory. I will not be another flower, picked for my beauty and left to die. I will be wild, difficult to find, and impossible to forget._ "

-The Rose Queen

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 **This story is inspired by the following quote from a classmate. It was too good for me to not use it. "I will not be another flower, picked for my beauty and left to die. I will be wild, difficult to find, and impossible to forget."**

 **Please review. Any review is appreciated, especially constructive criticism.**

 **A silly and alternate ending to the first chapter: You have been owned by the Rose Queen. Bitch. ;P**

 **As much against my better judgment, I will have to upload the next chapter next week to set the plot and the setting in motion. First chapter is the introduction and I want to move forward to the part where the action unravels which both of them will meet again with assumptions.**


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing made Atem angrier than cheaters and thieves.

 _People who are like Rose ruined gambler's reputation._

 _They are scums who tainted the spirit of gambling._

 _I refuse to let her get away with this crime! Who knew how many gamblers she scammed with her cunning nature?_

 _So she thinks it's a game huh? Well, she picked the wrong person to mess with._

 _I'll expose this fraud to the crowd and get my winnings and pendant back! and make sure she will never step back here. Or any casinos._

Atem smiled. _She made a mistake leaving the card behind. Because he just knows the person he can talk to._

He washed himself up in the bathroom before checking his room one last time for anything the mysterious woman left behind. Oddly enough, aside from his winnings, the rest of his money and credit cards on his wallet is intact.

 _If she seduced him for the money, then why she stole only the winnings and his pendant?_

Well he can understand if she doesn't steal the car. Having a car wouldn't be useful for her if she can't drive.

This is very unusual…

"Well I'm not going to complain. At least I got money for food." Still, even if it puzzled him, Atem won't take this for granted.

A shrill meowing pierced his ears.

Damn that cat.

Why couldn't the woman took the cat with her?

The cat is the least of his problems. Right now, he had to stop by his usual place to get lunch.

Obnoxious honks greeted him as he walked pass the streets of New York. Unlike nighttime, the day provided very little entertainment. The sound of daily chatter over mundane things as people travel to work is rather dull compared to the sensational & colorful lights splashed all over the city at night. The lively music sang through the streets as the restless souls express themselves with no limits. Sleep is trivial in the middle of the night. Danger lurks in every corner and can take one's life in a blink in the eye. But isn't what life is about? Taking risks as though it's the last day of one's life?

Nightlife is where Atem felt alive. Lights. Glitz. The dazzling atmosphere of casino tables filled with sin. No matter how many times Atem visit Cat's Eyes, he never grew tired of the lively music and the mysterious people lurking in the bars.

If only life always offer these kind of thrills to Atem, perhaps he wouldn't experience boredom. To him, daytime is filled with monotonous routine and idle chatter.

People interact each other for the sake of getting through their day. It's easy to find someone who share the same passion of gambling, but it's even rarer to find someone who he can trust. Money is a valuable resource and he cannot let his guard down if he wishes to defend his own pride and status. Strangers become acquaintances, and acquaintances eventually faded before his eyes as the years goes on. Still, even as a loner, he have a couple of close friends that assist him in sticky situations.

"The usual but add two more shots in my espresso, Joey."

"Damn Atem. Had a rough night?"

"Yeah, got my winnings and the pendant stolen," Atem bitterly replied as he took the cup and sip the coffee.

"Hey Joey, do you know someone named Rose?"

"Hmmm... sorry man. I don't know the person by that name. I heard of her from somewhere, but I can't recall where. Maybe ask Tracy, he knows everyone and the hangouts around the city. He's in the basement."

Atem gave a small nod to Joey before heading into the hallway where the underground entrance is located.

The air was filled with the buzzing noises of mindless chatter and bottles clinking. A man in his mid 30's nonchalantly sat at the bar. As usual, he had a cigar in his mouth and a newspaper in his hand. The dimming lights in the bar emphasized his strong presence. Everyone knew his reputation as "The gatekeeper to the nightlife". No one has dared to mess with him unless they have a death wish. He nodded at Atem's presence.

Atem nodded him back.

"Tracy."

"Atem." He gave Atem a respectful smile before asking, "So what brings you here Atem? Need me to find out a gambler?"

"Yes. Do you know someone named Rose?"

"Rose huh? Tracy smirked at Atem before teasing him. "Well looks like you are have conned by Rose Queen."

"I didn't come here to hear you mock me." Atem frowned before saying, "So tell me, how long did she arrive in New York?"

"She's a newbie. Just arrived here about 6 months or so. Word on the street is, she's used to be a big shot dancer before becoming a gambler."

"Hmph. Knew that she couldn't be a newbie. She's got grace and confidence for someone who claimed to be new around here."

"No matter if she's new or not, there's some unfinished business that I want to deal with her."

"Paying back for conning you?"

"I guess you can say that."

"Knowing you Atem, there's another reason why you want revenge. Perhaps you're settling this for your pride as a gambler?"

"It was not the matter of my pride as a gambler." Atem sipped his coffee, pausing briefly. "She disgraced gamblers everywhere. Her dishonesty made people associated gamblers as disreputable hustlers. "

Well, first of all, Rose is not her real name. She is known as Rose because of her dancing skills and her beauty."

Atem slammed his hands on the table.

"Son of the bitch!"

"Alright Ryo, here is the $50,000. Are you now satisfied?"

In the dark, a woman with a red dress stood stiffly at the man with the suit as he approached the woman. He took no notice of her hostile posture as he gets closer with a cigar in his left hand.

"Thank you Anzu." Ryo smiled as he took the check from her. "Now that everything is settled, you don't have to worry about your friend."

"Will Mai be okay? She looked apprehensive and paused for a brief moment before saying, "You didn't hurt her at all, right?"

"Rest assure that she is still alive. I didn't promise anything related to her safety."

"You said that you keep your promise. You told me that you let me see her once I pay her debt!" Her face expressed in horror and anger as she curled her right hand into her fist. "You bastard!"

"I kept my promise Anzu. However if your friend doesn't cooperate with us, it's not our responsibility if she gets injured for not obeying my orders in the first place."

He smirked at her. "Don't forget that so long your friend is on debt, you will continue to work for us. So if I were you, I'll keep fiery tongue in check."

Anzu stared bitterly at Ryo without a word.

"Very well then, if you have nothing else to say you are free to go. You are free from duty unless something comes up." Ryo blew the smoke from his cigar before turning towards the door and close the door.

Anzu's fierce eyes turned worried as her mouth quivered.

"Damn it." She muttered to herself as she closed her eyes. "This isn't fair! Why must that arrogant gambler stole my friend's pendant?" Her voice echoed to the room as the portraits of previous leaders stared at her with indifference.

She just wished that this wouldn't happen this way. She never want to swindle people through seduction. Her hands were shaking as she reflected from last night's event.

 _Just do what I tell you and no one will get hurt._

Ryo's mouth curled up into an uncanny grin as he waved a picture of Mai, taunting her.

 _What will happen to them if I don't follow his orders?_

 _Why do I have doubts on this plan? It's not like I never done this before._

 _Alright, just keep your cool, Anzu. Just keep your wits and emotions in check. Bring his guard down and take her friend's pendent back._

 _Of course, Atem stole her friend's pendant which justified her to steal. But to steal his money that he earned in his own hands?_

 _Anzu couldn't wrap her mind around. Why would Atem should get his earnings robbed even though he has nothing to do with her friend's debt? I can't understand Ryo's reason at all._

 _Guess it's a dog eat dog world after all to Ryo._

 _And I don't blame him._

 _After how that man "forget" how he stole her friend's pendant without expressing any regret, why should I pity him?_

 _Looking back, she had no trouble lifting that wallet and took that check._

Now what? No matter how much she helped Ryo and his members, it seems as though her actions are fruitless of getting her and her friends escape from this hellhole.

"I… I just can't think about this anymore."

 _I want to dance away the worries, the danger, and the fear away. Getting lost into the adrenaline from the beat of the music, this is where my heart is at._

But how can I be free with no music and a place that I can call it home?

Her heart yearns for a place where her soul feels connected. A place where it clicked to her naturally. She dreams a place where at twilight, dazzling lights shined everywhere it gives her energy yet at the same time, the lights soothe her.

She thought she can find it in New York. She was wrong.

Her dreams shattered before her eyes. Gone were her passport, her reputation, and her place at Juilliard. She danced for passion. Now, she danced for survival. She cannot ignore the broken glasses or the leering eyes from men as she danced in front of them. Her pride still shines within her, but sadly they do not see her worth other than as their entertainment of the night.

Even though she is not exactly happy with working Ryo's seedy operation, if it helps keeping the food in the tables, she'll do it. Considering that the circumstances aren't favorable for her, she is not looking forward for tonight's dancing.

Running to the rooftop where no one can find her, Anzu whipped out her cigarette and smoked. The nicotine soothed her breathing as she lost herself in the swirls of smoke. Normally, stars greeted her whenever she comes up after her job, but there was none present. Only the loud noises from New York greeted her. Grey mist clouded her mind as her worries and thoughts disappeared into thin air. Her eyes aimed wanderlessly as she reached out to the remnants of her hopes and dreams.

"So Tracy," Atem said. "Where does Anzu normally hang out? I highly doubt that she will be back to Cat's Eyes."

"Word on the street is she regularly hangs out at The Hearts. Either that or the joint called Palmers. I hope that you got a plan. Both of these places are notorious for criminal activities and they're not a fan of anymore who's not a regular. You better make sure you know how to blend yourself with that spiky tri-color hair or else the regulars will be hostile."

Atem smirked. "Well I take it as a fun challenge. Gives me a chance to be creative of my scheming. It's rather boring gambling at the same place. As for the hair, nothing like a hat would cover that up. Hmm… but I need to know the dress code to avoid detection. Tracy do you know where I can get a suit?"

Tracy's face became solemn before whispering to him, "Atem, I have to warn you. Word on the street is that these people might be responsible for the drug distribution and bribing the officials. I know that you are not the type who would storm and draw attention, but you better think twice if it's worth the $50,000 and the pendent."

Atem was rather alarmed by Tracy's words. He rarely uses this tone. This is not something that Atem should take lightly.

"Looks like I should take some precautions if I want to reclaim my possessions."

"I'm guessing that you're not backing out then. Well I know you for a long time so I trust you that you won't blow my cover if I give you the resources." Tracy handed Atem the map. "This is where you can find an outfit and the places where you can stay should you run into the trouble."

"I'm sorry Atem, but this is all I can do for you. I don't know the people in these areas aside from their reputation."

"No problem at all Tracy. I know a few people in the area that can help me. It pays to be a gambler and having connection."

"Alright, take care Atem." Tracy nodded at Atem. "And watch your back. You never know when your past actions will come back and bite your ass in the worst times."

Atem responded to Tracy's farewell and headed back upstairs.

 _Well then, looks like I have to make a few stops before nightfall._

If Anzu thinks that she can beat me and get away with this, then two can play that game.

* * *

 **Next chapter:** Atem prepares for the night as Anzu's backstory is revealed. Meanwhile, an epic card game showdown will happen along with other things due to some misunderstanding.

Hopefully you know who is Rose by now. ;)

I have to focus on finishing up 2 things I own, so it will be a couple of months before I upload the next chapter.


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